1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus which have the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a process for producing the electrophotographic photosensitive member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrophotographic photosensitive members making use of organic photoconductive materials (i.e., organic electrophotographic photosensitive members) have good film forming properties and can be produced by coating, and hence have advantages that they have a high productivity and can provide inexpensive electrophotographic photosensitive members. Accordingly, studies have hitherto widely been made thereon. In particular, for the purpose of making the electrophotographic photosensitive members have longer lifetimes and higher image quality, many attempts have been made until now in order to improve the electrophotographic photosensitive members in their scratch resistance and wear resistance.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H04-174859 discloses that an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a surface layer containing a polymeric product (high-molecular weight compound) having an adamantane structure has superior scratch resistance and wear resistance. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-302779 discloses that an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a surface layer containing a polymeric product (polymer) of a compound having a polymerizable functional group and an aliphatic hydrocarbon ring structure having 7 or more carbon atoms has superior wear resistance, where an adamantane structure is disclosed as an example of the aliphatic hydrocarbon ring structure having 7 or more carbon atoms.
However, under the existing conditions, there still is room for improvement about the scratch resistance and wear resistance of electrophotographic photosensitive members.